


Out of T/repidation

by PiningforPines



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Warriors
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Hyrule is still a sweetie, Internalized Transphobia, LGBTQ Themes, Protect all these boys, Time is the best dad, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Trans Male Character, Unfortunate timing, Wars is Trans, Wars needs more love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-12 20:34:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29390619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PiningforPines/pseuds/PiningforPines
Summary: Don't mind his pretty face, his petite figure. Warriors is a man's man. At least, that's how he thought he came across, until he realizes he's left home--and his medication--behind for a bit too long.Wars suffers from a biological curse familiar to most of us, and he's desperate that the others don't find out.
Comments: 5
Kudos: 53





	Out of T/repidation

**Author's Note:**

> I never claimed to be good at puns.  
> Been meaning to justify my take on Trans!Wars to myself for a while, here he is, now give him hugs <3

If Warriors had been more attentive, he would’ve known what was going on the moment he woke up.

Or rather, he would’ve known the moment he _didn’t_ wake up.

He began to be aware of his surroundings that morning, comfortable and warm and content. Slowly, much slower than usual, his mind trickled back to him: he was in his bedroll, he was traveling with the others. Yet, even though something felt slightly off, he felt no urgency. His thoughts lost their coherence again as he dozed.

The thing that had woken him repeated itself, shaking his shoulder gently, and whispering, “Wars?”

Warriors snapped awake.

He sat up, head still foggy, and came face to face with Sky. The chosen hero smiled, kneeling over his bedroll with a familiar motherly expression on his face.

“Morning.”

His brain was still catching up; he stared at Sky, trying to understand what was going on. Around him, there were noises of people packing up camp. The sunlight streaming through the trees told him it had to be late into the morning.

“... You let me sleep in?!” Warriors exclaimed in horror. Sky tittered as he stumbled out of his bedroll, and offered his arm as support.

Indeed, the world around him was already awake. Twilight and Wild snickered when they caught his eye; they were rolling up the last bedroll besides his own. The others were chatting close by, also just about prepared to head out.

“Ah, you know,” Sky explained sheepishly, “Usually you’re the first one up, and when you weren’t… Well, we decided you must’ve needed the rest.”

Warriors gawked at him. “You shouldn’t have! We’ll be held up because of me.” It had been ingrained in him, during training, to be up at precisely six hundred hours, and he _never_ failed to do so. If he was back in the academy, his superiors would’ve _killed_ him!

And yet, a deep longing for sleep lingered in his bones. Even as Sky reassured him and Warriors rushed to get dressed, he found himself absentminded and wishing he could lay down in his soft bedroll again and sleep the day away. Was he getting sick? Warriors didn’t catch cold easily, so that thought alone was cause for alarm. He hadn’t gotten sick since he was maybe a young teenager. This definitely _felt_ like when he was maybe thirteen or fourteen years old, agonizingly familiar, but he couldn’t put his finger on why.

Wild had been kind enough to hold onto breakfast for him, and Warriors decided to eat it cold, on the road. The omelette was delicious; he found himself lamenting how little of it there was even when he still had half left to go.

“Hey, sleeping beauty,” Legend called to him, taking advantage of the captain’s inability to answer. He rolled his eyes at the veteran as he fell into step beside Warriors.

“Ah, my Zelda was called ‘sleeping beauty,’” Hyrule reminisced, slipping into the conversation. Legend snickered.

“You sure you’re a hero and not a princess, Wars?” he teased, shoving his arm playfully. 

Warriors finished his bite and scowled, but he couldn’t think of anything to retort with. His mind was still hazy, and he had to keep distracting himself or else he’d begin dozing off even as they walked. Speaking of which—

“Wars?” Hyrule prompted when he didn’t answer. Warriors snapped to attention, blinking the tiredness from his eyes.

“Hmm?”

Legend’s teasing look dropped away. Wars didn’t like the one that replaced it: it was a look usually reserved for Hyrule or Wind, concerned and protective. “You alright, man?” the collector questioned quietly.

“‘M just tired,” Warriors mumbled, annoyed at being treated like a child. Legend didn’t push the issue, but Warriors noticed that he lightened up on the jokes.

His stomach _hurt_.

They had stopped at the side of a river and decided it was time for lunch. Though Warriors had nodded his head, he wasn’t hungry. He sat alone, under the shade of a tree, and watched as Wind stripped off his clothes and jumped in the water alongside Wild.

It wasn’t the omelette; the others all had their portions and were fine. Warriors subconsciously held his abdomen. He’d felt this pain before, he was sure of it, but he couldn’t remember what caused it. Had he overextended himself while sparring with Sky yesterday? Or was he actually getting sick?

 _Just lie down_ , his body screeched at him. And he so, _so_ wanted to—but that would be admitting that he couldn’t keep up.

“Wars?”

Time settled down beside him, armor shed in the hot afternoon sun. He looked over Warriors curiously with his one good eye. “Are you doing alright, soldier? You look ill.”

Dammit. Did Legend say something? “I’m fine,” Warriors responded automatically, staring out at the water. He knew lying didn’t come easily to him, and waited with bated breath for Time’s response.

“Well, if you say so,” Time said hesitantly. Warriors leaned back against the trunk of his tree: he would just pretend that he was trying to relax, and hopefully by the time they started moving again, the pain would be gone.

In retrospect, he’d been fooling himself if he’d thought he wouldn’t fall asleep.

“Hey, hey Wars.” That was Four’s voice. Wars blinked lethargic eyes open. “Wars. You awake?”

The smithy was peering closely at him, on his hands and knees. Wars opened his mouth to respond, but a wave of nausea overtook him, beginning at his abdomen and spreading over his whole body, to the tips of his fingers and toes.

Wars whined and rolled onto his side, hugging himself tightly. He had slipped from his position against the tree, and was lying curled on the grass.

“Time! Something’s wrong with Wars!” Four shot up from beside him, rushing to get the others.

“Don’t,” Wars managed to say, but it came out as a whimper, and was much too quiet to reach the darting smithy anyway. No, this was wrong, he wasn’t supposed to feel like this anymore.

Wait. Where had that thought come from? Warriors reached for it desperately, but was interrupted when another wave of pain and vertigo hit him. 

The next thing he knew, Hyrule was leaning over him. The others were there, crowding him for but a moment, before someone quickly ushered them away. The traveler stayed, and tried to gently roll Warriors onto his back.

Warriors cringed at the touch, curling up even tighter; Hyrule’s hand felt like electricity against his skin, too intense to stand. “Hey, hey, it’s alright,” Hyrule soothed, in full-on medic mode. Warriors prickled in shame; they hadn’t even had a battle, and the traveler was treating this like a serious injury. “Where does it hurt? Your stomach? Just try to relax a little.”

Warriors nodded and complied as best he could, eyes shut tight. He felt the warm glow of Hyrule’s magic as the traveler’s hands hovered over him.

Hyrule let out a breath like he’d been holding it, hands still over Warriors. “I can feel that you’re in pain, but there doesn’t seem to be anything to mend.” The warmth faded, and Warriors opened his eyes to see what was going on.

Hyrule looked perplexed, and he reached to turn Warriors over again but hesitated. “Wars, let me turn you over, I need to get a better look.”

Wars grunted. “Right,” he managed to say, and grit his teeth as he laid onto his back, Hyrule’s gentle hands guiding him.

The nausea that overtook him again was so overwhelming that he almost didn’t hear Hyrule’s cry of horror.

“Wars, you’re bleeding!” he gasped, reaching to undo his clothing, to get closer to the source.

 _Bleeding_.

Warrior’s eyes grew wide.

He seized Hyrule’s wrist before the traveler could touch him, effectively stopping him in his tracks. Hyrule stared, panicked, with his mouth agape, at Warriors—he glared back with one eye open, breathing hard through the pain.

He should have known better.

He counted the days in his mind, starting from when he’d first entered the portal—no, before that. The last time he’d drank one of his prescribed potions. Had it really been that long? They were supposed to be taken bi-annually, but he shouldn’t be feeling symptoms unless he went a full year without it. Had it just taken hold of him early?

Hyrule was waiting for an explanation, his hand still trapped in Warrior’s vice-like grip.

“Don’t… tell... _anyone_ ,” Warriors growled, not yet releasing Hyrule.

“Wars, you’re _hurt_ , I—”

“ _No_.” Warriors shook his head roughly. “I’m _not_.”

“But…”

There was a solid minute of silence as Warriors stared him down through his pain. Slowly, he watched Hyrule put the pieces of the puzzle together, his mouth dropping open with a small, squeaky, “ _Oh_.”

Warriors released the grip he had on Hyrule’s wrist, his fingers cramping almost as much as his abdomen. 

“But how have you…?” 

Warriors _growled_ , and, thankfully, Hyrule let that question go.

“Wars,” Hyrule murmured, like he was soothing a small child. “This isn’t anything to be ashamed of.”

“Easy for you to say,” the captain grumbled, teeth grit. He allowed himself to curl up once again, flushing with shame as he realized he would need to change clothes.

“Let me help you,” Hyrule continued, undeterred. Warriors tried to laugh, but it came out as a pained grunt.

“And how would you do that?” he huffed. Hyrule’s magic could heal wounds, but this? This meant that Warriors’ body was working _properly_.

Hyrule hesitated, as if pondering the same point. Then he stood.

“Give me a minute,” he promised, and rushed away before Warriors could protest.

And came back, not long later, with who else but _Time_.

Warriors' blush surpassed even the steady blotchiness on his face. Why _Time_?! Their _leader_?! He had been so desperately trying to hide this weakness, but now he might as well have told the world.

Hyrule was whispering quickly and quietly, barely stopping to breath between sentences. Time was nodding, looking distinctly pale, as they came closer. He was holding a bundle of things.

“If you can manage a hot water bottle,” Time suggested softly to the traveler, with a small shrug. Hyrule dutifully nodded, then rushed back presumably towards the others.

That left Time alone with Warriors.

Dear Hylia, what did he do to deserve this humiliation?

Time sat down beside Warriors, grunting as his old bones creaked. “Hey, soldier,” he greeted gently, the bundle on his lap.

“What are you doing here?” Warriors scorned lowly, glowering. He tried to rearrange himself to preserve some of his dignity in front of his superior.

Time _tsk_ ed at him like he was being ridiculous. “Ease up, now, I’m here to help.”

“And how in Din’s name are you going to do that?” Warriors huffed; another nauseous wave overtook him as he tried to raise his voice.

Time humphed amusedly, and presented the items he’d brought. “I’ve brought you a change of clothes, towels, some water, your bedroll…” he listed off sheepishly. “I raided Wild for sweets,” he added in a mumble, and Warriors saw there was a bag of candies mixed in. “... Malon always wants sweets.”

Oh. Suddenly, Warriors appreciated Hyrule’s sense of logic.

“... Thank you,” he sighed, and carefully managed to sit up.

Time handed him the waterskin first, and he drank gratefully. Warriors considered the fact that he wanted to change, but he’d have to wash off first, and even then he might soil his clothes again. He certainly didn’t have any of the supplies he would’ve used back when he was younger to prevent _that_ embarrassment. Did he even have the energy to resolve this?

“Have you been dealing with this alone, this whole time?” Time prodded tenderly, sounding much more like a father than he ever had.

“... No,” Warriors said, looking down at the ground. “I… ah… We have potions. In my Hyrule. They eventually wear off, if you don’t take them regularly."

Time didn’t look like he understood, but nodded anyway. “Then, did you know this would be coming?” he asked with a furrowed brow.

“I… forgot,” Warriors admitted, lowering his head in shame. “It’s been years since I’ve dealt with this.”

“Hm.” 

Time stared at the ground too, nodding thoughtfully, biting his lip. Warriors waited, shifting his weight, trying to find a comfortable position.

“... You didn’t have to hide this from us,” Time said finally, raking a hand through his hair.

Warriors scoffed at the notion. “I’ve spent half my life hiding it,” he explained, shaking his head. “I doubt I’d have ever made it this far _without_ hiding it.”

Time looked troubled by that, but he insisted, “No, you didn’t have to hide it from _us_. We could’ve helped you.”

“Beyond what you’ve done just now?” Warriors challenged, holding up the waterskin as an example.

Time sighed in frustration. “I meant…” Time looked away, and tapped at his thigh, thinking. “... You didn’t have to hide who you are from us, Wars,” he explained quietly, a blush coloring his face, as well. “We’d always have supported you.”

“This _is_ who I am,” Warriors retorted, clutching the waterskin.

Time chuckled, and before Warriors could stop him, he reached up and ruffled Warriors’ hair. “And what a strapping young man you are!” he agreed with a hearty grin.

“Hey!” Warriors patted his hair down, though he knew from experience that his hair would _not_ cooperate during this time.

From farther down the riverbank, Hyrule hurried towards them, practically sprinting. In his hands he held an odd sack-like object with bumps and ridges that made Warriors feel even queasier.

"We didn't have a water bottle," Hyrule panted as he approached, "but Wild had this brilliant idea of using an Octo balloon, and we heated it over a fire."

"You _told_ them?!" Warriors cried, blanching. Suddenly, the world was too vivid and unbearable around him. Time _tsk_ ed again at his stress, and pressed his hand over Warriors' to provide him some comfort.

"No, no!" Hyrule consoled, kneeling beside him. "Just that it was your stomach, and what you needed."

Warriors didn't reach for the strange monster part when Hyrule tried to hand it to him.

"Which would be?" he insisted, and Hyrule's shoulders hiked.

"Ah, rest, time alone, and a hot water bottle?" the traveler told him, holding the balloon out again. This time, Warriors tentatively took it.

"Please," he said softly, and he hated how small his voice sounded; both Time and Hyrule listened worriedly. "Just don't tell them."

The balloon was warm, filled with heated water. Warriors hugged it to his abdomen and sighed: it didn't stop the cramping, but it certainly made it a bit more bearable.

“Wars,” Hyrule argued, gentle but firm, “I already told you. This isn't something to be ashamed of.”

“That's exactly what I was saying,” Time rumbled in agreement. Warriors gave them a sarcastic chuckle.

“What, you really think the others wouldn't freak out if they learned I'm a _girl_?” he implored, his voice taking on a bit of a nasty tone.

Hyrule and Time didn't back off, however. To Warriors' displeasure, they looked even _more_ determined.

“Warriors, do you _consider_ yourself a girl?” Hyrule pressed, eyes sparking.

“No, of course not!” he snapped. What kind of question was that?! As if he would go through any of this if didn’t consider himself male!

“Then you're not a girl,” Hyrule declared, with a sharp nod for extra effect. Time hummed his agreement beside him.

He stated it so simply, as if that was all there is to it. And that, well, that was what finally put Warriors’ nerves to rest—at least, as well as they _could_ be rested, with his body on fire like this, but beggars couldn’t be choosers, now, could they?

“You really have no problem with this?” he whispered, desperate to be sure.

“You are who you say you are, soldier,” Time said simply; Warriors’ eyes turned to Hyrule, who blushed and shrugged.

“I’ve had my own issues with gender,” the traveler admitted with an embarrassed wave of his hand. Warriors perked up at the sound of that. He resisted the urge to have him elaborate further; maybe some other time, if Hyrule was comfortable, he could ask him to share. “It isn’t quite the same, but who am I to judge?”

… His friends were… so _kind_. 

Warriors thought back to the last time he’d been incapacitated like this: he had been, what, fifteen years old? Sometime just before joining the academy? It felt like another life: his mother being snappy and frustrated with him, arguing that he could still be a knight even if he was a women (that wasn’t the point, that was _never_ the point); his emotion-driven decision to chop his hair off, leaving a scraggly, haphazard cut, to be screamed at later for his recklessness; his older sister squirelling him away into the night, their faces hidden under cloaks, to a surgeon, and the _fear_ that’d he felt when he’d given his consent to be put under the knife. But that fear was nothing compared to the determination that flowed through his blood, and he’d stubbornly joined the academy much sooner than he was advised to, the training cutting sharply into his recovery.

It felt so long ago that it could’ve been a different person. He had certainly _looked_ like a different person, back then. His whole life had been shadowed by the fact that if anyone ever found out who he used to be, things could get ugly _fast_. He’d spent his life living in dormitories with other men, people who trusted him to be open and honest with them, when he so painfully _wasn’t_. What else would he expect but betrayal and anger?

And here were Time and Hyrule, more concerned for his feelings than anything, when they learned his dark secret.

He couldn’t do anything about it: tears bubbled up behind his eyes, and he stubbornly hid them behind his fists.

“Wars,” Hyrule gasped softly, leaning close to rest a hand on his shoulder. 

Time did the same, muttering, “It’s alright, Captain. We’re here for you.”

“Curse these stupid hormones,” he choked out, laughing in spite of himself. The tears flowed harder. “Ah, damn it all. You’re too kind to me.”

“No such thing,” Hyrule admonished gently. They comforted him as he wept, and he felt embarrassed, but also _extremely_ grateful. Maybe they were right: maybe the others would react similarly to finding out, with sympathy and understanding. Not that he was going to test it any time soon, but by the Goddess, he had wonderful friends.

“... I should go change,” Warriors said hoarsely, when the tears let up. 

“Will you need any help?” Hyrule offered shyly.

“ _No_.” Warriors cringed as he accepted the bundle of towels and clothes. “I can do this myself.” All this was one thing, but for Hylia’s sake, he could at least _bathe_ himself.

“We’ll camp here for the day,” Time told him sympathetically.

“Goddesses, no, we can’t stop just for me—”

“They’ve already started setting up,” Hyrule interrupted sheepishly, jabbing a thumb past the treeline.

Warriors let out a irate sigh, but felt consoled all the same. “... It will probably be more than one day,” he grumbled, still sitting, unwilling to leave the warm balloon behind.

“Then we’ll rest as long as you need.” Time gave him a quizzical look. “You mentioned a potion that helps you. Do you have any idea where we could acquire some?”

“Not until we get back to my timeline,” Warriors said with a shake of his head. “I guess, until then, this might… be a monthly occurrence…” If they didn’t return to his home soon, he might waste them so much time…

“Then I look forward to monthly rests,” Time said with a sly grin. Warriors scoffed, finally finding the strength to stand.

The others stood with him, being too careful with their movements, as if ready to grab hold of him at any moment. Warriors felt a bit indignant—he had _cramps_ , not some kind of terminal illness. Even if they were some of the worst cramps he’d ever felt. But his annoyance dissolved when he saw the unfiltered care in their eyes.

 _Wonderful_ , kind friends.

“Thank you both,” he murmured, and they smiled at him, reassuring him that it was no issue, that they were honored to help.

Maybe he'd been wrong to be so trepidatious, after all.


End file.
